Meet The Casey Family
by chifipdlyndz
Summary: Matt Casey and Gabby Dawson are happily married with a family of their own. But how did they get to this happy place in their lives? My first Chicago Fire story!
1. Chapter 1

"Roll call time!"

"Lieutenant Casey?"

"Present."

"Lieutenant Severide?"

"Present."

"Hermann?"

"Present."

"Otis?"

"Present."

"Cubby?"

"Present."

"Elmo?"

"Present."

"When did Elmo join 81?" Matt asked his youngest son, Luca, as he walked into the living room where his son was playing. Three-year-old Luca had his toy fire truck, stuffed animals, and the family dog, Cubby, lined up for morning roll call on the couch.

"Elmo's the new candidate on truck!" Luca replied excitedly as he placed a plastic firefighter's hat on the head of the fluffy, red stuffed animal.

"Congrats, Cubby! No longer a candidate! Who knew you had it in you, buddy?" Matt said, giving the black Labrador retriever mix a belly rub.

"Woof!"

"Of course he had it in him, daddy! He was saved from a fire! By you!" Luca said, joining in on the belly rubbing for the beloved pup.

Matt flashed back to the events leading up to his adoption of Cubby almost a decade before.

 _Matt had saved Cubby long before the Caseys were a family of five. It had been soon after Matt was elected as alderman. Matt had been heartbroken when Gabby had basically told him that she wasn't interested in getting married in the near future. The future he had imagined with Gabby and a house full of kids flashed before his eyes during Mouch and Trudy's wedding, and he feared that it would never become a reality._

 _Just a few days after that, Truck 81 and Squad 3 were called to a fire at an abandoned house. No one had been inside except for a frightened black puppy with a patch of white on his chest. Matt had carried the dog out of the building, and he refused to leave the lieutenant's side after that. Animal control took the dog away, saying that they would try to find the dog's owners and take him to a shelter. Matt had instantly grown attached to the dog but knew that he'd never see him again. Back at Firehouse 51, Matt gave the house's beloved dog, Pouch, some extra love, attention, and treats. He couldn't understand how anyone could leave a dog behind when everyone at 51 loved their dog so much._

 _By the next shift, the dog from the fire was still on Matt's mind. He had gone to the pet store and picked up some of Pouch's favorite treats. He may never see the dog from the fire again, but he still had Pouch to love and spoil. Pouch's tail practically wagged off of his body as Matt waved the bag of treats in front of him. The brown and white pup followed Matt out to the apparatus floor and dutifully performed some of his best tricks in exchange for the treats. Gabby rolled her eyes as Pouch gobbled up his third treat from Matt's outstretched hand._

" _Pouch is going to need to go on a diet after you're done with him. That dog from the call last shift really left a mark on you, huh?" Gabby said._

 _Matt nodded. "That dog looked so scared and alone. He deserves a family like Pouch has at 51. I can relate to that."_

 _Gabby gave a slight nod and walked away. She knew that what Matt said hadn't been intended as a remark about their different stances on marriage and starting a family. But of course, that's how it felt. Clearly, Matt felt that he could have a family with an abandoned dog from a fire before he could have one with Gabby. She wished she had just been up front with him about the whole thing, instead of brushing it off at Mouch and Trudy's wedding. She didn't want to get married_ soon _because she loved her job on 81 and was happier than she'd ever been. Instead of saying all of that, she had set up yet another rock and a hard place situation in her and Matt's relationship._

 _She was about to walk back inside after talking to the guys at the squad table when she saw a kind looking older woman walking into the house- with the dog from the fire! Matt dropped Pouch's bag of treats and followed the dog to where the woman stood with the_ other _dog. The dog practically jumped on Matt and sniffed and licked him up and down. Gabby, Severide, and the others from squad walked over to see what was going on._

" _Hi there, I'm Patsy Neville, from Chicago's Animal Friends. You're the lieutenant who saved this guy the other day, right?"_

" _Umm, yes, yes, that was me. Matt Casey, Lieutenant on Truck 81." Matt replied, using one hand to point to his truck and the other to shake Patsy Neville's hand. The dog from the fire and Pouch sniffed each other and Matt._

" _Since when is Casey a dog whisperer?" Severide said as he walked over to greet the dogs._

" _Nice to meet you, Lieutenant. Alderman as well, correct? My husband and I voted for you!" Patsy continued, giving the dog's leash a tug so that he didn't run off with Pouch._

" _Alderman, yes. Thanks for the votes. So what brings you here with the dog from the fire? I thought Animal Control said they were going to find his owners." Matt said._

" _Unfortunately, they didn't have any luck. Looks like this poor boy was left behind in that abandoned house. He's at our shelter now, and we're about to start the process of finding him a permanent home. But before we do that, I wanted to make sure that he came by to thank his heroes at 51. He's lucky that you found him in that house!"_

 _The dog let out a few friendly woofs, and then went back to licking Matt, Gabby, and Severide. Capp had walked off to find Pouch's bag of treats to share with the dog._

 _With barely a moment of hesitation, Matt asked, "Can I adopt him?"_

 _Gabby's jaw dropped, and Severide couldn't help but laugh._

" _Are you sure about this?" Severide asked._

" _I know a firefighter isn't an ideal job for a pet owner, but he could stay at the firehouse when I'm on shift. It looks like he's already getting along great with our house's dog. I'll fill out whatever paperwork I need to, pay the adoption fees, whatever it takes. I want a family and this guy needs one." Matt said to Patsy, as well as to his friends and coworkers standing behind him._

 _Within days, the dog was Matt's, and he spent their days on shift playing with Pouch at the firehouse. Their days off were spent at Matt's construction gigs and at he and Sev's apartment watching Cubs and Blackhawks games. The dog particularly enjoyed Cubs' games and watched attentively while Matt and Kelly gave him belly rubs. His love for the Cubs inspired his name, Cubby._

 _Meanwhile, Matt and Gabby were still at a standstill over the marriage issue. They were still technically together, but avoided the marriage issue like the plague and didn't spend much time together off shift. Cubby, however,_ loved _Gabby and the walks she took him on around downtown Chicago._

 _Cubby was probably the happiest of all of their friends and family when Matt and Gabby_ finally _decided to start their lives together. After a few more ups and downs in between, Gabby decided that she couldn't imagine her life without Matt or everyone at 51. She convinced Cruz to go back to Truck and arranged a deal between him and Otis that they would drive the truck every other shift. It was all part of her big plan._

 _After an intense and emotional shift and a rescue that had left both Matt and Gabby in danger, she looked into Matt's eyes and knew that she had to tell him her news that day. She made sure that he wasn't in his office, walked in and placed three things on his desk- her completed application for squad, a picture of the two with Cubby and a caption on the back that said, "We're already a family," and…an application for a marriage license._

Matt smiled as he flashed back to the present day. Luca giggled his adorable giggle as he chased Cubby around the living room. The toddler had a mess of light brown hair, his dad's blue eyes that made it almost impossible for anyone to tell him "no," and both of his parents' love for firefighting and 51.

Jake, their five-year-old middle child, hopped down the stairs wearing his Chicago Fire Department sweatshirt, his backpack slung around his shoulders. Of all three kids, he looked the most like his mom. He had curly, dark brown hair, big brown eyes, and a smile that could light up any room. He told anyone who asked, or didn't ask, that he wanted to be one of the following when he grew up- a firefighter, a paramedic, a detective, or a boxer. Clearly, the kid was highly influenced by his family.

Gabby and their oldest, seven-year-old Mia, were next down the stairs. Mia looked like the perfect combination of both Matt and Gabby. She had her mom's brown hair, dad's blue eyes, and a stubborn nature and big heart that they could both take credit for. Mom followed behind daughter spraying hairspray on her braided pigtails. Mia held Gabby's iPhone out in front of both of them, which she was using to FaceTime her Uncle Antonio and wish him a happy birthday.

Most days, Matt had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. That night at Mouch and Trudy's wedding when he thought his hopes and dreams for he and Gabby had vanished forever seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Good morning, Mia Shay! Morning, Jakey!" Matt called to his two oldest, as he wrapped them up in a group bear hug.

He kissed his wife and handed her a fresh cup of coffee.

"I love you, Gabs."

"I love you too, baby," she said with a smile. "Now, let's get these crazy monkeys to school and you to 51 before everyone's late!"

"Happy birthday, Uncle Tonio!" all three Casey kids shouted at once into Gabby's phone.

Everyone headed for the front door and pet Cubby one last time before heading out. Matt and Gabby convinced Mia and Jake that April in Chicago was still winter coat season. Then, they avoided a meltdown from Luca as Cubby walked down the hall with one of Luca's rain boots in his mouth. Luca wouldn't go anywhere without his Truck 81 baseball cap, black and yellow firefighter raincoat, and black rain boots with "Fire Chief" written on the front.

Carrying one kid in his arms, with the other two and his wife trailing behind, Matt led the way to the family's SUV. Off to another shift at 51 for Matt. For Gabby, off to a meeting for the 100 Club, a charity she works for that raises funds for families of first responders who have lost their lives in the line of duty. She still taught some classes at the Firefighters' Academy and worked at Molly's, but being a mom was the most important job to her. She hated the idea of something happening to her or Matt on the job and leaving the other behind with the kids. Even Matt took on less shifts and spent more time on construction jobs and with his family.

For the kids, the prides and joys of Matt and Gabby's lives, off to school and preschool.

For the entire Casey family, off to many more years of chaos, craziness, and love in their hometown of Chicago.


	2. Chapter 2

Hop, hop, hop.

Three-year-old Luca hopped up the stairs with Cubby, the family's beloved black Labrador retriever mix, following closely behind him.

"Time for the toothbrush dance!" Luca exclaimed, as he skipped into the bathroom.

His older siblings, seven-year-old Mia and five-year-old Jake, were already in the bathroom brushing their teeth while humming "Happy Birthday!" Their parents told them that if they hummed the song twice, they had brushed their teeth long enough. As the kids finished up and Luca finished his toothbrush dance, their mom, Gabby, walked into the bathroom holding her iPhone.

"Daddy FaceTimed to say goodnight!" Gabby told the kids with a big smile on her face.

She waved the phone in front of them, as they all spit into the sink in unison. Mia grabbed the phone from her mom, and her brothers followed her to the big, blue couch in the playroom.

"Hi, Daddy!" three voices said, while they all tried to fit their faces onto the iPhone screen.

Their dad, Matt, was on shift at Firehouse 51 where he was the lieutenant on Truck 81. He had started taking on fewer shifts since Luca was born, but on this Friday night, he was on shift while Gabby was home on bedtime duty. Gabby slid onto the couch, placed Luca on her lap, took her phone from Mia, and held it so that all four faces fit onto the phone's screen.

"Now, there are all of my favorite people!" Matt said, waving to his wife and kids.

"How was work today, daddy?" Mia asked.

"Any exciting calls?" Jake asked.

"Tell Uncle Kelly hi!" Luca shouted.

"We miss you!" Gabby said.

"Pretty slow day. I spent most of it missing all of you! Uncle Kelly's in his office, Luc. I'll be sure to tell him you said hi. Now isn't it just about bedtime for you crazy monkeys?"

"Yes, but can't we talk just a little bit longer?" Mia asked. "It's my turn to read our bedtime story. I'm going to read a Clifford book. You can listen!"

"What do you think, mom?" Matt asked.

" _One_ story and then its bedtime for all of you monkeys," Gabby said, kissing each child's head.

Mia picked up the book, and Gabby moved her phone so that Matt could see her and all three of their kids. After reading only a few pages, the bell went off at the firehouse. Matt and everyone on Truck 81, Squad 3, and Ambulance 61 had to leave for a call somewhere in the city.

"Ah, I'm sorry M, I've got to go. I love you all! I'll see you in the morning. Night, Gabs!" Matt said quickly before hanging up the FaceTime call.

"Aww, man. I wish daddy could listen to the whole story," Jake said, sadly.

"Me too but we'll see him in the morning. Want to finish up, Mia?" Gabby asked her daughter.

Mia finished the story, and Gabby set her phone on the couch before tucking the kids into their beds. She tucked the boys into their bunk beds with Jake on the top bunk and Luca on the bottom. She led them in their nightly prayers, including their favorite line, "Watch over daddy and bring him home safely." She tucked the covers tightly around their little bodies, kissed them each goodnight, and made sure their nightlight was on before heading over to her daughter's room. In Mia's room, she listened as she said her prayers and recited the same line about Matt. Mia claimed that she didn't need a nightlight anymore, but Gabby left the light on in the playroom and left her daughter's bedroom door open a crack just in case.

Gabby whispered to herself as she walked through the playroom, "Watch over daddy and bring him home safely."

After all three kids were tucked into their beds safe and sound Gabby headed back downstairs. She poured herself a glass of wine and opened up her laptop. She planned to respond to a few emails for the 100 Club, the charity she worked for which fundraised for families of first responders who had lost their lives. Gabby's eyes fell on a picture of her then-boyfriend, Matt, and their two best friends Kelly Severide and Leslie Shay that hung on the refrigerator. Shay had been her best friend and partner on Ambo 61. She had lost her life on the job and was the reason that Gabby started working for the 100 Club after the kids were born.

She sent a few emails, and then turned the Blackhawks game on the television. While watching, she remembered that she wanted to upload a few pictures to Facebook of the kids that she'd taken earlier that day when they went out to dinner with her brother, Antonio. The pictures were on her phone, and she couldn't remember where she left it. This happened often these days, as the kids were always taking it so that they could take pictures and try to FaceTime Matt while he worked.

After searching through the family room and kitchen, Gabby finally remembered that she'd had the phone upstairs in the playroom so that they could FaceTime Matt. She spent a few moments searching for it on the couch before finding it buried between two couch cushions.

" _Geez!_ " she thought. " _How long did it take me to find that thing?_ "

She turned her phone over, and her eyes widened when she realized how many notifications she had. All of the notifications were of texts, calls, and voicemails from her friends and coworkers at 51. She remembered that Matt had ended his FaceTime call with Gabby and the kids because of a call at the firehouse. Gabby dropped her phone, immediately fearing the worst. Why else would everyone be calling her so urgently? Had it really been long enough since the FaceTime call for Matt to go to a call and get hurt? How long had it taken her to tuck the kids in and how long was she downstairs?

All of the sudden, her phone started ringing, vibrating and moving across the couch cushions. It was Severide again. A picture of him and the kids posing next to Lake Michigan lit up the screen. Gabby was almost scared to answer the phone, afraid of the news she was about to get from Kelly.

"H-hello?" Gabby said as a question, barely getting the words out.

"Gabby! Everyone's been trying to get a hold of you! It's Matt!" Kelly said trying to cover up the tears forming in his eyes and the lump in his throat.

"I-I-I know. What happened?" Gabby asked, as she began moving across the room. Maybe she was in shock or maybe just on a mission but she knew that she had to get to the hospital with three sleepy kids in tow. She walked into Mia's room, kindly waking her daughter up and barely hearing what Kelly said on the other end of the phone.

"Dawson, are you listening? …He fell almost two stories…floors were destroyed…landed in the enflamed basement…Chicago Med" were the only words Kelly said that Gabby heard. She was already on a mission to get the kids up and to Med as quickly she could. After telling Kelly that she was on her way, she practically flew through the house with Luca in her arms and Mia and Jake trailing behind, both only half-awake. Gabby threw her purse, as well as some snacks, books, and toys for the kids, into a large Vera Bradley tote bag, asked Mia to grab the car keys, and led the kids to the family's SUV.

She drove as quickly and safely as she could, knowing that she had precious cargo in her backseat. It was 9:00 pm on a Friday in Chicago, and it seemed like everyone in the city was out for a night on the town. She wished that she were in a fire truck or ambulance so that she could turn on the lights and sirens and drive past all of the traffic.

Gabby's phone was ringing again. This time it was Antonio. Someone from 51 must have called and told him what happened to Matt. Sure, she could have called her brother or her parents to ask for help with the kids while she went to the hospital. But the moment she saw the notifications on her phone and heard the news from Kelly, all that she could think about was getting to the hospital to see her husband.

After what seemed like an hour driving to Med, but was probably only about 15 minutes, Gabby parked right in front of the hospital. She helped her oldest two kids get out of the car, slung her tote bag over her shoulder, and picked up her youngest son, still fast asleep.

"Mam! Mam! You can't park there!" a hospital worker shouted at Gabby, reaching out an arm to try to stop her.

"My husband…my husband…my…" was all Gabby could utter, as she ran past the worker and through the sliding glass doors into the hospital.

Hermann and Cindy must have been waiting for Gabby to arrive because they both walked past her towards the SUV.

"Keys, Dawson!" Hermann said.

Gabby had barely registered in her mind that Hermann and Cindy were there and threw the keys to them so absentmindedly that they landed feet away from where the couple was standing. Hermann talked to the hospital worker, then hopped in the car with Cindy to park it in the lot.

Meanwhile, Gabby continued on her mission to find her husband and keep her kids trailing behind her. Finally, she saw Boden, Severide, and everyone else from 51 standing and sitting in a waiting area. Severide walked over to her with tearstained cheeks. He took Luca from Gabby's arms and handed the tote bag to Brett. Cruz and Otis picked up Mia and Jake and settled them onto some waiting room chairs, propping up their turnout jackets as pillows for the sleepy Casey kids.

Gabby continued on her mission to find her husband, now that the kids were taken care of by the coworkers who had become family. The Chief wrapped Gabby in a hug, as Dr. Halstead and Dr. Manning walked over to give Gabby and the others an update on their beloved husband and Lieutenant.

Once again, Gabby could only comprehend a few words that were said to her. "Surgery…lung damage…shoulder…could've been worse."

"When can I see him?" Gabby asked, while wiping tears away.

"He should be out of surgery soon. Of course, we'll let you know how it goes and let you know as soon as you can visit," Dr. Halstead said, giving Gabby's shoulder a squeeze.

Severide hugged Gabby tightly, while still holding onto a sleeping Luca. His best friend had been seriously injured and was in emergency surgery. He could barely comprehend what was going on, but he couldn't imagine how Gabby felt. She was another one of his closest friends, the wife of his _best_ friend, and the mother of the kids who called him "Uncle Kelly."

Gabby knelt down in front of her two eldest children and composed herself to explain, in kid friendly terms, what was going on. Both kids stood up and hugged their mom tightly. The rest of their 51 family looked at the scene with tears either in their eyes or streaming down their cheeks. No one could believe that this was happening to Matt, Gabby, and their kids.

Just then, Antonio, as well as the Dawson parents, walked into the waiting area. They walked over to Gabby and the kids and the emotional group hug got even bigger.

After another stretch of time that felt like hours but was actually less than one, Drs. Halstead and Manning walked out again searching for Gabby. They gave her an update on Matt's condition and his surgery. "Went as well as we could hope for…repaired his lungs…shoulder shouldn't need surgery…resting now…take you to his room."

Gabby's parents, as well as Chief Boden, gave her shoulders another squeeze before she followed the doctors to Matt's room.

He was awake, alert, and his eyes lit up when he spotted his wife in the doorway.

"Baby…" she said, continuing to walk towards her husband.

"I'm okay. I love you," Matt said to his wife.

"I love you too," she said, tears falling down her face rapidly. She kissed Matt, as he pushed her hair back behind one of her ears.

"Baby…I'm okay. I promise. The kids?" he asked, pulling away from Gabby for a moment.

"Asleep in the waiting room with everyone from 51. My parents and Antonio are here, too. I'll go get them," she replied.

"Wait, wait. Just stay here with me for a minute. I'm so happy to see you," he said, a few tears of his own falling down his cheeks.

Gabby lay down beside her husband, and together, they lay quietly for a few minutes. Thankful to be together. Thankful to still have each other. Thankful that the kids' prayers had worked for yet another night.

They were in this together, for better or for worse. A vow that had been made many years ago, and a bond that had been formed years before that. Luca, Jake, Mia, Gabby and Matt, all five Caseys were going to be just fine.

"Watch over daddy and bring him home safely."


	3. Chapter 3

Silence.

No kids' giggles and shouts.

No shower water raining down and no hum of the microwave.

Even Cubby was fast asleep on his bed.

Matt walked into the kitchen and hung his keys on their hook. He wasn't accustomed to coming home to a silent house.

It had been a few weeks since he fell two stories fighting a house fire, separated his shoulder, and had to have emergency surgery to repair his lungs. He went to physical therapy for his shoulder multiple times a week but was still a couple of weeks away from being cleared for work.

On this particular day, Gabby was busy with meetings for the 100 Club, and the kids were all at school. Due to his injuries, Matt also couldn't work his second job as a general contractor. He had decided to paint the entire first level of the house in an attempt to prevent further boredom. He had enlisted Gabby's dad, Tom, to help, as he had taken up painting in his retirement. His father-in-law was due to arrive in an hour.

Matt decided that they would start with the main entryway. The main wall of the entryway was covered with framed photographs of Matt and Gabby's family and friends, along with photographs of Chicago's skyline and the city's sports stadiums. Gabby had made it into a gallery wall, and it was one of her favorite parts of the house. She assured Matt that she was already looking forward to rearranging the photographs when he finished painting the wall.

While Matt waited for his father-in-law to arrive, he began to carefully take down the picture frames from the wall. He figured that taking down the frames would be an easy first step in the painting process, but with each one he removed, he was hit with the memory that the picture captured.

He started with the picture frames hung near the top of the wall. The first one that he took down was their first family picture as a family of five. The photograph had been printed in purely black and white. Gabby's mom, Maria, had snapped the picture just hours after Luca was born. Matt, four-year-old Mia, and two-year-old Jake squeezed onto Gabby's hospital bed where she held a sleeping Luca. Mia and Jake had big, cheesy grins on their faces. They were both so excited for their baby brother to arrive. Matt smiled his own big, cheesy grin as he remembered the hours after Luca was born.

 _Huge smiles lit up Matt and Gabby's faces when they saw Gabby's parents holding Mia and Jake's hands and standing in the doorway. Beside them stood Gabby's brother, Antonio, and Matt's best friend, Kelly. They were overjoyed to see their entire family in one place._

" _Come on in and meet your new baby brother," Matt said to his son and daughter. They both let go of their abuelos' hands and walked to their mom's bedside. Mia leaned over Gabby to see her new brother, and Jake stood on his tiptoes and peaked over the edge of the bed._

" _This is your new brother, Luca Antonio Casey," Gabby told Mia and Jake. She moved Luca slightly in her arms so that her older children could get a better view of their baby brother. Then, she looked up at her own brother, who had tears in his eyes at the announcement of his new nephew's name._

 _Matt had tears in his eyes, as well. He helped Mia and Jake climb onto Gabby's bed and looked around the room at his little family._

 _Mia Shay Casey._

 _Jacob Kelly Casey._

 _Luca Antonio Casey._

 _This was the family Matt and Gabby had dreamed of after they lost their first baby many years ago. Now, finally,_ finally _, they had everything and everyone that they had ever wished for._

Underneath the Casey family picture hung pictures of Mia, Jake, and Luca that had all been taken when they were just a few weeks old. Matt smiled as memories of his babies as much tinier babies flooded his head.

Next to a picture of Chicago's skyline hung a few pictures of Matt and Gabby's Firehouse 51 family. A picture that Gabby had taken of Matt, Kelly, and Shay at a Blackhawks game was beside a picture of Gabby and Shay on Halloween one year. Matt remembered one recent day when he and Gabby had walked down the hall, and Gabby caught a glimpse of the two photographs.

" _Who would've thought way back then that our best friends would be the namesakes for two of your kids?" Gabby asked Matt._

" _I guess we're just lucky that they both have good names for middle names," Matt said with a smile._

 _Gabby laughed. "I just wish Shay could meet them. I know she'd love them all and spoil them rotten."_

 _Matt and Gabby were now standing in their family room, which was filled with their kids' impressive collection of toys and one wooden toy box that Matt made before Mia was born. They had both lost count of how many of the toys were gifts from Kelly. He had made it his mission to spoil his honorary niece and nephews as much as he and Shay would together if she was still alive._

" _Well, why do you think these kids have so many toys? Kelly spoils them doubly rotten since Shay can't help him out," Matt assured his wife._

 _She smiled, knowing that her husband was right. While Shay would never be able to meet the Casey kids, her love and spirit surrounded the family through memories, Mia's middle name, and the toys that they all knew were from both Kelly_ and _Shay._

Matt removed more pictures of his family with their extended family and beloved friends.

Mia hugged her cousin Eva on the day of her graduation from Northwestern University.

Matt's sister, Christie, sat on the couch while reading a book to all three kids.

Hermann and Otis posed beside an infant Mia in her car seat, which was on the bar at Molly's.

The kids posed with a cake covered Lincoln Ruzek at his first birthday party.

One Halloween, Stella held baby Jake, dressed as a little firefighter, and Sylvie held two-year-old Mia, dressed as a paramedic.

In the most recent picture, Kelly posed beside all three kids next to Lake Michigan.

Next, Matt took down one of his favorite pictures on the wall. It was a photograph of Matt and Gabby on their wedding day. Like the family picture, this one was also in black and white. Their wedding ceremony and reception were held on a boat that had cruised around the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. In the picture, they posed on the deck of the boat with the Chicago skyline in the background. Gabby wore an immaculate lace dress, and Matt remembered that his tears had started flowing as soon as he saw her at the opposite end of the aisle. Their wedding day had been the best day of Matt's life until the births of each of their children beat it out in a three-way tie for first place.

" _I don't know where I would be without you. You are the love of my life, my best friend, and my compass in life. I will love you until the end of time. This I vow to you, today and_ always _," Matt vowed to Gabby, as a tear slid down her cheek._

 _Trying to hold back further tears, Gabby said her vows. "You make me braver, stronger, and bolder. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you by my side. I will love you until the end of time. This I vow to you, today and_ always _."_

" _I now pronounce you husband and wife! Lieutenant Casey, you may now kiss your bride," Chaplain Orlovsky proclaimed._

 _After the kiss that began Matt and Gabby's married life, the Chaplain announced them as "Mr. and Mrs. Casey" to their family and friends. It was a perfect day that was everything they had both dreamed that it would be._

Matt took a seat on the floor of the hallway. He hadn't expected the pictures and trip down memory lane to fill him with emotions like they had. He picked up the picture from their wedding day, made a ridiculous face, and took a selfie of him and the framed picture to send to Gabby. Matt knew that she would get a kick out of the selfie during her day of meetings.

He got back up and took down a picture of Gabby, Antonio, and their parents on a vacation many years ago. Just then, Tom Dawson walked through the door.

"Morning, son!" Tom said. He looked at the picture of the Dawson family that Matt was still holding onto. "Now _that_ was a great vacation. There sure are a lot of memories on this wall."

"There sure are. Damn, I'm a lucky man," Matt said to his father-in-law.

"You've got that right, Matthew," Tom said with a smile. "But you won't be so lucky if your wife comes home and sees that we haven't done any painting. Now, let's get started."

Matt laughed, and his father-in-law gave him a pat on the back. Side by side, the two men got to work taking down the rest of the picture frames.

When Matt had arrived home earlier that day, the house had been filled with a unique and unwelcome silence. Now, he realized that the house was always full of the memories that those inside of it had made together. On this day and always, the Casey family's collection of memories could only grow larger and larger. Until the end of time.


	4. Chapter 4

"Daddy! Daddy, wait! Don't go! Please don't go!"

Mia chased her dad down the hall and shouted after him. When she got to him, she clutched onto his leg. Big, heartbreaking tears fell down her cheeks. Matt leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"Mia, honey. I need to get to work," he said to his daughter.

It was the morning of Matt's first day back to work since his accident almost two months ago. He was eager to return to 51 but also nervous about getting back into the swing of things. Although he didn't need to be at the firehouse for almost an hour, he wanted to arrive early so that he had plenty of time to prepare.

"No, daddy! Don't go! Please!" Mia pleaded, almost inaudible as she continued to sob.

Matt gently pried Mia off of his leg and knelt down to her level. With his thumb, he tenderly wiped away some of her tears.

"What's wrong, Mia Monkey?" he asked.

"I don't want you to go back to work, daddy! You could get hurt again! Or…or something really bad could happen to you. Like…like Aunt Shay or the people mommy helps at work," she confessed. She wrapped her arms around her dad's neck and hugged him tightly.

Just then, Gabby walked down the hall, holding a travel mug full of coffee for Matt. He looked up at his wife and could tell by the look on her face that she had heard Mia's confession. He also sensed that she was harboring the same fears as their daughter.

Gabby walked towards the pair, the love of her life and the little girl who had stolen both of their hearts. She knelt down in beside them and kissed Mia's forehead. Gabby's heart broke as Mia broke down over Matt's return to work. Gabby had put a brave face on for the kids, but on the inside, she was as anxious as Mia about Matt going back to 51. Probably even more so.

Matt slowly pulled away from Mia, made eye contact with Gabby, and squeezed her hand lovingly.

"Can I tell you a story, Monkey?" he asked their daughter.

She nodded slowly. All three of the Casey kids loved when their parents told them stories about when the couple first started dating, about their wedding, or about when the kids were babies.

"Well, when you were three and Jake was a little, tiny baby, I almost got hurt on a call," he began.

Mia held up her hand to stop him.

"Daddy!" she shouted. "This story isn't making me feel better!"

Gabby smiled. She knew how Matt's story ended and knew that it would actually make Mia feel better after all.

Matt continued the story, "But I didn't. Uncle Kelly helped get me out of the burning building, and we were both fine. Aunt Sylvie checked me out in the ambulance, and other than a few scrapes, I was good to go. I wasn't going to tell Mama about what happened because I didn't want her to worry about me, but Uncle Kelly and Aunt Sylvie helped out with that, too. When I got back home after that shift, Mama was really worried and scared, like you are now. I told her…"

Gabby cut him off and asked, "Can I take it from here?"

He nodded, smiling.

"Your Daddy told me that he loved me and you and Jake. He said that he knew he had a dangerous job. That he prayed at the beginning of every shift that he'd come home safely to us. Then…and this is my favorite part, baby girl. He told me that he would always, _always_ be with us, protect us, and love us with his whole heart. The next day, he gave me a present. This."

Gabby pulled out a necklace from behind her shirt. It was one of two necklaces that she wore everyday, without fail.

She held onto a delicate, silver chain with a small, silver charm. Engraved on it was simply:

always

-m

"Your 'always' necklace!" Mia exclaimed. "You wear that one and Aunt Shay's necklace everyday."

Gabby nodded, as a lone tear fell down her cheek. "You're right, Monkey. I wear these necklaces everyday to remind me that your Daddy and Aunt Shay are always with me."

Matt squeezed Gabby's hand again and finished their story.

"I can't remember a day since I gave the necklace to Mama that she hasn't worn it. Now, I know you're nervous about me going back to work, sweetie pie. But just like Mama does, you need to remember that I'm always with you and will always do everything I can to come home safely to you and your Mama and your brothers. Just like I did a few weeks ago, and just like I did when you and Jake were younger."

Mia nodded and pulled both of her parents together for a tear-filled group hug.

"But, daddy," she said. "I'm still scared about you going back to work."

"I know, sweetie. But, maybe if you and your brothers are really, _really_ good and listen to Mama all day long, she'll bring you to the firehouse before dinner," he assured his daughter.

"Will you, mama?" Mia asked Gabby excitedly.

"Well, you have soccer practice after school, but we'll see if we can squeeze in a trip to 51," Gabby said to her daughter.

Gabby kissed the top of Mia's head and helped her to her feet. Matt stood up as well, leaned towards his wife, and kissed her. Not a quick, "see you later" kind of kiss, but a loving, tender one with an extra moment of his lips lingering on hers.

"Ew!" Mia said, covering her eyes.

Matt and Gabby both laughed at Mia's reaction. Gabby leaned into Matt's side and held him tightly.

"I love you, Mia Shay. Always," Matt said. He reached his hand down to ruffle her mess of curly, brown hair.

"I love you too, daddy," she said.

"I love you too, Gabby. Always. I'll see you soon," he said.

He kissed his wife on more time, and then opened the front door. Just before he hopped into the driver's seat of his truck, he turned back to the house and waved goodbye to Gabby, Mia, and the boys, who had joined the girls by the entryway window.

* * *

Massive raindrops crashed down onto Gabby's SUV as she parked in front of the firehouse. The unexpected rainstorm had caused Mia's soccer practice to end early and left plenty of time for the Casey family to visit 51.

"Alright, kiddos. Make sure the hoods of your rain jackets are up and run to the firehouse as soon as you get unbuckled! I'll carry you, Luca Bean," Gabby instructed her three kids.

Just moments later, Mia and Jake ran towards the firehouse, and Gabby followed behind them carrying little Luca. As soon as they reached the apparatus floor they were greeted with bear hugs from Uncle Kelly and Capp. Cruz walked over, hugged Gabby, and reached for Luca.

"Where's Daddy?" Mia asked, worriedly. "Is he okay?"

"He's okay other than being bored with paperwork in his office," Kelly assured Mia.

That was all she needed to hear. She grabbed Jake's hand, and they both ran inside the firehouse. They didn't get very far before they ran right into their dad.

"Daddy!" they shouted at the same time.

"You're okay!" Mia exclaimed.

"It's raining!" Jake added, pointing outside.

Matt laughed and scooped his two oldest children into his arms.

"Oh, I've missed you both. I'm glad you convinced your Mama to swing by the firehouse," he said, making eye contact with Gabby and flashing her the smile that made her fall more in love with him every time she saw it.

"And she said that we can meet Miss Kim and Mr. Adam and Lincoln for dinner!" Mia explained to her dad.

"I wish you could come too, daddy," Jake added.

"Next time, buddy. You'll have lots of fun with Miss Kim and Mr. Adam, though. Maybe Mr. Adam will do his funny walrus impression with some straws," Matt said.

Gabby walked over to Matt and the kids and leaned towards him for a quick kiss. Cruz placed Luca on the floor so that he could run towards the rest of his family.

"Remember, I said a _quick_ visit. We don't want to be late for dinner," Gabby said.

A few minutes later, Gabby and the kids were back in the SUV, buckled and ready to go.

"I really, _really_ hope Mr. Adam makes his walrus face. He's so funny!" Jake said, giggling.

"He is really funny, buddy," Gabby said to her son.

As she drove away from the firehouse, she was flooded with mixed emotions. She was excited to meet Kim and Adam for dinner but still worried about the rest of Adam's shift. Mia's worries seemed to be erased by the visit to the firehouse, but Gabby's weren't.

Of course, she had always worried about Matt when he was on the job, but it was easier when she was on shift with him and could see with her own eyes that he was safe. Her worries only increased when the kids were born and she no longer worked alongside her husband.

"Always," she whispered to herself, clutching her necklace with one hand.

Always.

* * *

"Who wants donuts?" Matt called into the house, as he walked through the front door after his shift. Saturday donuts were a beloved tradition in the Casey house.

"Daddy!" three little voices called. Mia, Jake, and Luca ran towards their dad and clutched onto his legs. Gabby followed behind them.

"Hey, baby. We missed you," Gabby said. Her arms were full with a basket of laundry, but she still leaned towards her husband for a kiss.

"If you take these donuts, I'll take that laundry and fold it for you," Matt said to Gabby and added another kiss to sweeten the deal.

Soon, the box of donuts was empty, and the kids had left a trail a crumbs around the kitchen. The boys were busy building Lego creations at the kitchen table. Matt called Gabby and Mia into the living room. He held a small box behind his back.

"I have a little something for your, Mia Monkey," he said, as all three of them sat down on the couch.

"A present?" she asked, excitedly. "But it's not my birthday or Christmas!"

"It's a special occasion," he responded.

He handed her the small box and told her to open it. Gabby looked up at him curiously, and he flashed that heart-melting smile.

"It's a locket!" Mia exclaimed.

"It is. Open it up and see what's inside," Matt encouraged his daughter.

"It says 'always.' Just like Mama's necklace!" Mia said, practically shouting with glee.

Gabby smiled back at Matt, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Matt..." she said. "This is so sweet."

"I'll always be with both of you. Always," he said.

"Thank you so much, daddy! I'll wear it everyday, just like Mama," she said. She jumped into Matt's arms for a hug, and Gabby leaned over her daughter to kiss Matt.

Always...


End file.
